As part of my efforts to find healthy and diverse substitutes for bread, quinoa wraps have become a regular part of my menu. I like quinoa. It has a unique, nutty flavor, is a rich source of complete protein and dietary fiber, and I think I’ve cracked the secret to preparing it. These wraps are so easy to make, it’s almost embarrassing. They have a wonderful soft texture, and it’s so much fun to fill them with whatever you like.

How to make quinoa wraps?

As with any quinoa recipe, the first step is to give the quinoa a good rinse. Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse it well under running water. Quinoa can have a bitter taste, and rinsing removes it. This applies even when cooking quinoa, making it an essential and important step.

The next step for quinoa wraps is soaking. There’s no need to cook the quinoa beforehand. Soak the quinoa in plenty of fresh water for at least 3 hours, or even overnight. You can also soak it in the refrigerator, especially if the weather outside is hot.

After soaking, drain the quinoa from the excess water and transfer it to a blender. The quinoa needs to be well blended, so use a blender that can do the job. I use a Ninja shaker. It’s perfect for me in terms of size and convenience. Plus, at the end, I can just put it in the dishwasher (important!). Regarding immersion blenders/ hand blenders – unfortunately, not all of them will work, but the good ones will.

Place the quinoa in the blender/shaker, add water until it’s covered plus about one centimeter. Season with a generous pinch of salt. That’s it. That’s the whole recipe, isn’t it wonderful? Of course, if you like, you can add more spices, like garlic powder. You can also add herbs like parsley or cilantro. Blend it until the batter is as smooth as possible.

Cooking the wraps

Heat a non-stick pan. No oil is needed, but it is important to use a good non-stick pan. Once the pan is heated, pour a small amount of the quinoa batter into the pan – roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter for each wrap. Spread it immediately with the back of a spoon or ladle, as thinly as possible. Let the wrap cook over medium heat until bubbles form on the surface, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Repeat this process for each portion of the batter, yielding approximately 6-7 wraps in total.

Transfer the cooked wraps to a plate and cover them with a very clean kitchen towel until ready to use. This is an important step, as it’s the time when the wraps become soft and pliable. Enjoy!

Looking for more tasty recipes?

• Vegan Spelt Crackers
• Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
• Swiss Chard and Tofu Wraps
• Vegan Black Lentil Patties with Mushrooms

Print Recipe

Quinoa wraps (tortillas)

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Quinoa soaking time2 hours hrs

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: bread, Breakfast

serves: 6 wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• A nice pinch of salt
• Fresh water for soaking the quinoa and for the blend

Instructions:

• Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water.

  Rinsing the quinoa is important to ensure the removal of any bitter taste – don't skip this step.
• Soak the quinoa in plenty of fresh water for at least 3 hours, or overnight. The soaking can be done in the fridge, especially if the weather outside is hot.
• After soaking, drain the quinoa from excess water and transfer it to a blender or a good shaker (I use a Ninja shaker).

  Add a nice pinch of salt, and water to cover and pass the quinoa by about 0/5-1 cm (I used about 100 ml of water, which is less than half a cup).

  If desired, you can add to the blend additional spices such as garlic powder, cayenne pepper, etc., as well as herbs like parsley or coriander.
• Blend the quinoa and water until a very smooth mixture is achieved.
• Heat a non-stick pan. No oil is needed, only a good non-stick pan. Once the pan is hot, pour about 1/3-1/2 cup of the quinoa mixture into it, and spread it immediately, as thin as possible, using the back of a spoon or spatula. The mixture in the recipe is enough for about 6-7 wraps.

  Let the wrap cook over medium heat until bubbles form on the surface, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Repeat this process for each portion of the mixture.
• Transfer the cooked wraps to a plate and cover them with a very clean kitchen towel until ready to use, for at least 10-15 minutes. During this time, the wraps will become soft and pliable.
• What isn't eaten can be stored in the freezer, and taken out when needed – just a few minutes at room temperature and they're ready.

  If you want to ensure that the wraps don't stick to each other – you can place parchment paper between them.

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הפוסט Quinoa Wraps (VEGAN + GF) הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

This recipe is one of those recipes I really want you to make. Vegan white bean and almond meatballs, served in a wonderful and creamy pumpkin curry sauce. It’s both delicious and nutritious main dish, that you just can’t stop eating. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and generally contains real, natural ingredients, no substitutes for anything. The preparation is simple, but contains several steps, so let’s get started.

What binds the meatballs together is flaxseed. In addition to all the health benefits of flaxseed (fiber, omega 3 and the list goes on), it functions in this recipe just like eggs. Make sure you buy it from trusted stores since flaxseed is sensitive to heat and humidity. Before using flaxseed, it’s necessary to grind it. The easiest way is by using a coffee/spice grinder. You can buy ground flaxseeds if it’s more convenient. In any case, store it in the freezer, that’s what I do. Add a little water to the ground seeds – 2.5-3 tablespoons of water to 1 tablespoon of flaxseed. Mix and let it sit for 10 minutes. During this time the mixture will become slightly gelatinous.

How to make vegan white bean and almonds meatballs?

Start with cooking the potatoes. Peel and cook a medium size potato (about 9 oz/ 250 gr) until soft. You can either cook it in boiling water, in the oven or in the microwave. Strain excess water if any and let it cool. Then, mash the potatoes with a fork to obtain mashed potatoes with a relatively coarse texture.

For preparing the vegan white bean meatballs use a food processor. Place in the food processor cooked white beans, ground almonds, onion, cilantro, ground coriander seeds, salt and black pepper. Add also the flaxseed mixture. Process until a uniform mixture is obtained. If necessary, stop and scrape the mixture from the sides when needed.

Transfer the vegan meatballs mixture to a large bowl. Add the mashed potatoes (the potatoes shouldn’t go in the food processor), and mix well.

Use your very clean hands, preferably a bit wet either by water or olive oil, and form about 20 meatballs, each approximately 4-cm/ 1-inch diameter. Place the vegan meatballs on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly goldened. Allow the meatballs to cool completely before moving them.

While the meatballs are in the oven start preparing the sauce.

Preparing the curry sauce –

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep sauté pan. Add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes while stirring. Then add chopped celery, cubed pumpkin, sliced carrot and season with finely grated ginger, chopped garlic, curry powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook while stirring for another 5 minutes. Finally add 2 cups of liquid – I added 1.5 cup of water and half a cup of coconut milk. You can use either more or less coconut milk depending on how creamier you want the curry to be, as long as you maintain a proportion of about 2 cups of liquids in total. Cover the pan with a lid, bring to a boil and cook on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes, until the pumpkin softens completely.

After cooking the curry sauce I like to mash it a bit, possibly with a potato masher. That will get you a thick and creamy sauce without adding additional cream or flour.

Add the vegan white bean meatballs to the sauce just a few minutes before serving. If you prepare it in advance – keep the meatballs and the sauce separate. When needed, heat the curry sauce and then add the vegan meatballs to it. Let the meatballs cook in the sauce for about 5 minutes on low heat, lid on. Don’t play or move the meatballs around too much, they are indeed firm, but over-mixing it could damage it. Garnish with chopped cilantro on top, and if you want, also chopped chili. Serve with quinoa or rice.

Looking for more meat free recipes?

• Quinoa salad with sweet potatoes and carrots
• Vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie
• Farro salad with cauliflower, fennel and tahini dressing
• Vegan quinoa and beet patties

Print Recipe

Vegan White Bean and Almonds Meatballs

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

serves: 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

For the meatballs –

• 1 cup cooked white beans
• 1 cup ground almonds (100 gr/ 3.5 oz)
• 1 medium size potato (250 gr/ 9 oz), cooked
• 1 medium size onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of water, see notes
• 1 cup cilantro, leaves and chopped soft stems only
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• bit of olive oil for forming the meatballs

For the curry sauce –

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 500 gr/ 1.1 pounds pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 large carrot, sliced into rings
• 2 celery branches, chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger root
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½1 cup water
• ½ cup coconut milk, see notes
• handful of chopped cilantro for serving

Instructions:

• Peel the potato, cut into cubes and cook until soft. You can either cook it in boiling water, in the oven or in the microwave. After that, drain any excess water, if any, and allow to cool slightly. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the potato coarsely. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare an oven tray lined with baking paper or silicone roasting mat.
• Place the ground flaxseed in a small bowl. Add 2.5-3 tablespoons of water and mix. Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes before using.
• In a food processor, place cooked white beans, ground almonds, onion, coarsely chopped coriander and the spices – ground coriander seeds, salt and pepper. Add in the flaxseed mixture and process until a smooth texture is obtained. If necessary, occasionally stop the food processor and scrape the mixture from the sides.
• Transfer the bean mixture to a mixing bow. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
• Use your very clean hands, preferably greased with some olive oil, and form from the mixture about 20 meatballs, each 4-cm/1-inch diameter. Place the vegan meatballs on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the meatballs are slightly golden. Allow the meatballs to cool completely before removing them from the pan, otherwise they could fall apart.
• While the meatballs are in the oven – prepare the curry sauce. In a deep sauté pan heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan, except for the liquids – pumpkin cubes, carrot rings, chopped celery, finely grated ginger, chopped garlic cloves, curry powder, nutmeg powder, salt and black pepper. Sautee for another 5 minutes while stirring.
• Add the liquids – water and coconut milk, mix and cover the pan with a lid. Bring to a boil and then cook with the lid closed on a medium heat until the pumpkin softens, about 20-25 minutes.
• After the curry sauce is cooked completely, mash it coarsy using a potato masher or a fork, to obtain a thicker texture. Notice there is no need to reach a smooth texture.
• Add the vegan meatballs to the sauce just before serving time. If cooking ahead – keep the sauce and the meatballs separately and combine it when wanted. Add the meatballs to the hot curry, cover and cook on a low heat for 5-7 minutes. Avoid mixing and moving the meatballs too much in the pan.
• Serve with lots of chopped cilantro on top. You can add chopped chili pepper if you like. Serve with rice or quinoa. Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can use either cooked white beans out of can/jar or frozen (I use frozen(. When using frozen bean, please allow 10-15 for defrosting outside the freezer before using it.
• You can either buy whole flaxseed or ground flaxseed. If you’re using whole flaxseed – be sure to ground it before use, either by using a coffee grinder or blender. 
• It’s possible to replace the pumpkin with sweet potato or use only carrots
• If desired a creamier sauce you can adjust the amount of coconut milk and add some more, as long as you maintain a total amount of 2 cups of liquid.

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils

הפוסט Vegan White Bean and Almonds Meatballs הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

Sometimes all you need is a good sandwich, and this one is a goooood sandwich. What makes this sandwich so good is the smoky tofu! Thin slices of tofu with barbecue style seasoning. Call it vegan ham, call it vegan pastrami, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that it’s delicious.

How to make vegan smoky tofu ham?

For making the tofu “ham” use firm tofu. The first step is slicing the tofu.

Slice the tofu into thin slices – about 2-3 mm/ 1/8-inch. Since the tofu is sliced so thin, there’s no need to dry it before marinating.

Making the marinade

The marinade has barbecue style flavors (not accurate BBQ, more inspired by). The main flavor in this marinade is smoked paprika. I looove smoked paprika, and I really recommend keeping one in your pantry. If you don’t use smoked paprika often – you can store it in your freezer. In addition to the smoked paprika, the marinade also has in it soy sauce, silan (date syrup), tomato paste, wine vinegar and black pepper. If you don’t have silan on hand – sub it with maple syrup or molasses. Mix all the ingredients together to a smooth paste.

After preparing the marinade it’s time to marinade the tofu. Use a shallow container and place one layer of the tofu slices. Next, brush the tofu slices with the barbecue style marinade. Place another layer of tofu slices on top, and again spread the marinade on top using a brush. Repeat for all the tofu. If there is any marinade left at the end – pour it on top. Finally, cover the container, either with a lid or plastic wrap, and let it marinade in the fridge for an hour.

Baking the vegan smoky tofu ham –

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Place the vegan tofu “ham” on a tray, lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. The “ham” slices should be placed next to each other and not on top of each other. Using a brush, spread some of the marinade left in the dish. Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove it from the oven and carefully flip the tofu slices to the other side. Spread all that is left of the marinade on the tofu slices and bake for another 10 minutes.

Next it’s just a matter of assembling the sandwich. Use any of your favorite bread (for a gluten-free version – use GF bread) or wrap it in lettuce leaves (delicious!). Apply a spread you like – pesto, vegan mayo, tahini etc. And of course – don’t forget to add vegetables.

Keep the vegan tofu “ham” in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to a week.

Looking for more delicious vegan recipes?

• Vegan white bean and almonds meatballs
• Green lentil and mushroom soup
• Vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie
• Green curry with charred tofu, green vegetables and coconut cream

Print Recipe

Vegan Smoky Tofu Ham

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

marinating time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

serves: 12 slices

Ingredients:

• 300 gr/ 10 oz firm tofu

For the marinade –

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp date syrup (silan), you can sub it with maple syrup or molasses
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

To assemble the sandwich – your favorite bread, spread and vegetables

Instructions:

• Slice firm tofu into thin slices, about 2-3 mm/ 1/8-inch thick.
• Prepare the marinade – in a small bowl place all the ingredients: soy sauce, tomato paste, date syrup, wine vinegar, smoked paprika and ground black pepper. Mix well to obtain a smooth paste.
• Prepare a shalow container and place in it a single layer of tofu slices. Using a brush, spread the tofu slices with some of the marinade. Arrange another layer of tofu slices on top, and again brush it with the marinade. Repeat for all the tofu slices. If there is any marinade left – pour it into the dish on top of the tofu slices. Cover the dish, using a lid or plastic wrap, and transfer to the refrigerator for an hour (possibly up to 12 hours).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper or silicone mat.
• Arrange the marinated tofu slices on the baking tray in a single layer (not on top of the other). Using a brush, generously spread some of the marinade on the tofu slices, keeping aside the remaining marinade. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. After, carefully remove the tray from the oven and flip the tofu slices to the other side. Brush the tofu slices again with all the remaining marinade and return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes. Let it cool.
• Use the vegan smoky tofu "ham" and put together a sandwich according to your preferences. Use your favorite bread or make lettuce wraps, along with a good spead and of course vegetables.

  I used a rustic baguette, mint-cilantro pesto, roasted peppers and lettuce. delicious!
• Keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils

הפוסט Vegan Smoky Tofu Ham הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

It’s no secret I have a special place in my heart for lentils… and can you blame me? This delicious legume is full of protein and easy to digest. Also, you can find lentils everywhere, it’s cheap, and comes in a variety of colors. Gotta love it. Lentil patties are also a great thing. Easy to make, can be freezed without a problem, and so many flavor options. This recipe is for vegan black lentil patties. Aside of the lentils, the patties have in it mushrooms, sautéed with onions, walnuts and other good things. No eggs needed, no breadcrumbs needed, a great recipe for any day of the week.

The first step is soaking the black lentils. Soaking lentils (or lengumes in general) help digesting it and promots the secretion of good enzymes. The soaking in this recipe should be long, at least 8 hours and possibly more. Soak the lentils in plenty of fresh water, preferably changing the water at least once during this time. Notice that although I definitely recommend soaking the lentils that long, there is a shortcut. You can soak the lentils for half an hour in boiling water. But – the texture of the patties will be a bit softer. At the end of the soaking time, wash the lentils well and drain excess water.

How to make vegan black lentils patties?

The black lentil patties has in it also mushrooms, that are sautéed toghether with onions. Finely mince the mushrooms and an onion. The small size will help to keep the patties stable. Sautée the onions on a pan with some olive oil for about 5 minutes. When the onions soften and become a bit transparent, add the chopped mushrooms. Season with thyme leaves, crushed garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue sauteing for another 10 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ath the end, the mushrooms and onions will be soft and golden. keep aside.

In a food processor palce the black lentis (after soaking). Add walnuts, parsley, date syrup (silan)and season with salt and black pepper. Don’t add the mushroom mixture to the food processor, unless you want a very smooth texture (for exapmle if you intend to serve it to kids). Grind all the ingredients well until you get a sticky paste.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the sautéed mushrooms and onions and mix well. Of course, if you added the mushroom to the food processor you can skip that part.

Form out of the mixture flattened patties, about 5 cm/2-inch diameter. I prefer baking the vegan black lentil and mushroom patties, but you can also fry it. If baking- place it on a pan, lined with baking paper or a silicone mat and greased with a bit of olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. If youchoose to fry the patties – prefer to do it in olive oil (yes!), on a medium heat until golden.

Serve with tahini or any other dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Looking for more delicious recipes?

• Vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie
• Farro salad with cauliflower, fennel and tahini dressing
• Vegan smoky tofu ham
• Sautéed green beans with mushrooms

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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Black Lentil Patties with Mushrooms

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

added soaking time for the lentils8 hours hrs

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

serves: 20 patties

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black lentils
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup parsley
• 3 tbsp date syrup (silan), sub it with maple or agave syrup
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsb ground black pepper
• olive oil for oiling the baking tray

for the sautéed mushrooms and onions –

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 200 gr/ 0.5 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
• pinch of salt, pinch of ground black pepper

Instructions:

• Start with rinsing the lentils well. Then, soak the black lentils in plenty of fresh water for at least 8 hours. If possible, it will be best to change the water once ot twice during that time. After that rinse the lentils and drain excess water.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper or silicone mat and oiled with a little olive oil.
• Saute the mushrooms – heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a skillet. Add the finely chopped onions and saute, while stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly transparent and soft. Add finely chopped mushrooms, crushed garlic and thyme leaves. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of ground black pepper. Saute on a medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
• In a food processor, place the black lentils (after soaking, washing and draining), walnuts, parsley, date syrup (silan), 1 tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of ground black pepper. If you want the patties to be in a smooth texture (e.g for kids) add also the mushrooms mixture to the food processor, otherwise leave the mushroom mixture aside. Grind it until a sticky paste is formed. If necessary – stop occasionally the food processor to scrape the sides.

  If you didn't add the mushroom mixture to the food processor – tranfer the lentil mixture to a mixing bowl, add the sauteed mushrooms and mix well.
• Form out of the mixture flattened patties, about 5 cm/2-inch diameter. Place it on the lined baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes, till the patties are golden and firm. Serve with tahini or any other dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Although I recommand to soak the lentils for the full 8 hours, there is a shortcut for it – soak the lentils in boiling water for about half an hour. Keep in mind that this way the patties will change its texture and will be more dense, though still delicious!
• Make sure to finely mince the onion and the mushrooms – it’s important for the stability of the patties.
• The patties can be freezed easily. Prefer defrosting it in room temperature.
• If desired, it’s possible to fry the patties. Prefer to do it in olive oil, on a medium to low heat.

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils

הפוסט Vegan Black Lentil Patties with Mushrooms הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

My favorite type of noodles for this summer without a doubt are glass noodles. They are light, tasty, take exactly 4 minutes to make and are great to eat hot or cold. For that (and much more), they are ideal to use in a salad. Glass noodle salad in a delicious peanut butter sauce. It has in it lots of crunchy vegetables, sliced as thinly as possible, all wrapped in a gorgeous sauce inspired by thai cuisine.

Glass noodles (also called cellophane noodles) name so because they get transparent after cooking. It usually made from mixing mung bean starch (or other starch) with water. Glass noodles can be prepared either by cooking or simply soaking. If cooking – 3 minutes in boiling water is enough. After that, immediately rinse in cold water (so that the cooking process stops) and strain excess water. If soaking – soak in a bowl with boiling water for about 5 minutes, and immediately afterwards rinse and strain excess water.

How to make?

The vegetables used in this glass noodle salad with peanut butter sauce are mostly hard vegetables. I used carrots, kohlrabi, red cabbage, radishes, scallions and red chili. In addition, the salad has cilantro and basil, as well as coarsely chopped peanuts. That’s a crunchy salad for you! Slice the vegetables as finely and as thinly as possible. It’s more pleasant to eat and also lets the sauce be well absorbed. Ideally you should slice the vegetables using a mandoline slicer. However, if you don’t have one – a good knife will do the job. Just be careful with your fingers.

The salad dressing is important and dominant. I like making salad dressing in a jar with a lid. Place in a jar the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, sesame oil and finely grated ginger. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, close the lid and shake until a thick and smooth sauce is obtained. Pour the sauce over the salad and mix well until all the ingredients are covered and well wrapped in the sauce. The salad is kept well in the refrigerator for two to three days. Enjoy!

Looking for more great recipes?

• Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
• Green Curry with Charred Tofu, Green Vegetables and Coconut Cream
• Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms
• White Corn and Miso Soup with Chili Oil

Print Recipe

Glass Noodle Salad with Peanut Butter Sauce

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 125 gr/ 5-oz glass noodles
• 2 medium size carrots
• 1 kohlrabi
• ¼ small red cabbage
• 2-3 radishes
• 3 green onion springs
• 1 red chili pepper, more or less to taste
• ½ cup peanuts
• ¼ cup basil, leaves only
• ½ cup cilantro, leaves only

For the sauce –

• 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root (about 5 cm/ 2-inch)
• A pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper

Instructions:

• Rinse well all the vegetables, peel the carrots and kohlrabi. Slice the vegetables as thinly as possible with a mandoline slicer or a knife. The carrots, kohlrabi and radishes are sliced ​​into thin sticks. The red cabbage into thin strips. The green onion and chili pepper into thin rings. The peanuts are chopped very coarsely. The basil and coriander leaves can be left whole or very coarsely chopped.
• Cook the glass noodles either using the stoves or by soaking.

  If cooking on the stoves – place the glass noodles in a pot with plenty of boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. At the end of cooking, rinse the glass noodles in cold water (to stop the cooking process) and strain off the excess water.

  If by soaking – place the glass noodles in a wide bowl filled with boiling water. Allow the glass noodles in the boiling water for 5 minutes and then rinse the noodles with cold water and strain the excess water.
• Prepare the sauce – in a jar with a lid, place all the sauce ingredients: peanut butter, soy, maple syrup, lemon juice, sesame oil, finely grated ginger, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Mix well until a thick and smooth sauce is obtained.
• Place the cooked glass noodles in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped vegetables on top (carrots, kohlrabi, red cabbage, radishes, scallions, chili peppers, basil and cilantro) and the chopped peanuts. Pour over the peanut butter sauce and mix well until all the ingredients are covered in the sauce. Enjoy!

Notes:

 

• For a gluten-free version, make sure to buy gluten-free ingredients (eg GF glass noodles, GF soy sauce, etc.)
• You can vary the hard vegetables that are added to the salad and change according to your personal taste. Try using peppers of different colors, white cabbage, cucumber, green beans and beets.
• Adjust the amount of chili pepper depending on the degree of spiciness you like.
• Glass noodles often come in large packages. It is easiest to disassemble the package using sizers.

 

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils

הפוסט Glass Noodle Salad with Peanut Butter Sauce הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

There is a wonderful salad, originally from North African cuisine, called Mechouia salad (mashwiya). This salad has in it tomatoes, bell peppers and chili peppers, roasted until practically burned on the grill. It has the most wonderful and spicy flavors, which are enhanced with the (good!) taste coming from the vegetables’ charred peel. This wheat salad is based on it. This is a perfect recipe if you are having a BBQ. Simply pre-cook the wheat at home, and than toss the vegetables on the grill. If you want to make it at home, just bake the vegetables in the oven until perfectly roasted.

How to make?

Cooking the wheat berries –

The first part for the wheat salad is cooking the wheat berries. I used regular wheat, but you can also use farro (spelled wheat). Other good options are coarse bulgur (burghul) or freekeh. For a gluten-free version use rice, preferably whole. Firstly rinse the wheat well and drain the water. Some soak the wheat, from an hour to half a day, in plenty of water. This of course shortens the cooking time of the wheat, which is relatively long. The wheat is cooked in plenty of water, similar to pasta. About 45 minutes after boiling. When finished, strain off the excess water and allow the cooked wheat to cool.

Roasting the vegetables –

The next step is roasting the vegetables. Use ripe tomatoes, bell peppers and chili peppers (traditionally green chili). The amount of chili peppers depends on how much you want it hot. There are 3 ways to roast the vegetables: on a grill, on a griddle pan or in the oven. The vegetables are roasted until they are completely cooked and the peel is burnt, even very burnt. If preparing on the grill or in a griddle pan then turn the vegetables from side to side every few minutes until the vegetables are nicely burnt on all sides. In the oven there is no need to turn because the heat is received from all sides. The tomatoes and chili peppers will be ready before the bell peppers so remove them from the heat before or add them later. After finished, transfer the vegetables to a bowl and let them cool slightly.

After the vegetables have cooled, you can use a kitchen towel or clean hands to roughly peel off parts of the peel. However, make sure to leave some of the burnt peel. It adds the burnt taste we’re looking for. Transfer the vegetables to a cutting board and chop them coarsely together.

The last step is assembling the wheat salad. In a large mixing bowl, place the cooked wheat berries and top it with the roasted tomatoes and peppers. Don’t forget to add all the juices of the vegetables left on the board, they have so much flavor in them. Add 4-5 cloves of crushed garlic and chopped parsley. Season with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir gently until all the wheat is covered in the wonderful juices. Enjoy.

Looking for some more wonderful salad recipes?

• Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
• Lentils and Roasted Beets Salad
• Farro Salad with Cauliflower, Fennel and Tahini Dressing
• Antipasto Brown Rice Salad

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Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat berries, well washed and drained
• 4-5 ripe tomatoes, medium size
• 2 bell peppers
• 1-2 chili peppers (traditionally green) , use more or less depending on how spicy you prefer
• ½ cup parsely, chopped
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• juice from half a lemon (2-3 tablespoons)
• ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste + a teaspoon of salt for cooking the wheat
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

• Cooking the wheat berries – place the wheat berries in a pot with plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and continue to cook over a medium heat until the wheat is ready, about 45 minutes. If during cooking the water evaporates – add more boiling water. At the end of cooking, drain the wheat from the excess water and allow to cool. If you choose to soak the wheat before cooking, the cooking time will be shorter (see notes at the end of the recipe).
• Cooking and charring the vegetables – can be done on the grill, in a griddle pan or in the oven.

  On the grill or in a griddle pan: make sure that the grill / griddle pan is very hot. Place the tomatoes, bell peppers and chili peppers on the grates/ pan and roast them well until the vegetables are tender and the peel is burnt. Rotate the vegetables every few minutes so that the burn is done on all sides. The tomatoes and chili will take about 15 minutes, the sweet peppers about 25 minutes in total. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

  In the oven: preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Cut the bell peppers lengthwise in half and get rid of the sting and seeds. Place in a pan with the part of the peel facing up and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, add the tomatoes and chili pepper to the pan and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before the next step.
• Roughly peel off some of the vegetables' burnt peel using a clean kitchen towel / kitchen paper or just very clean hands. Make sure not to completely peel the vegetables and leave some of the burnt peel, it has lots of good flavors in it. Remove and discard the stings of the peppers, as well as the seeds. The seeds of the chili pepper can be left, keep in mind that they are spicy of course.
• Transfer the charred vegetables to a cutting board and chop them coarsely. Keep all the wonderful fluids that come from the vegetables, they have plenty of flavors and we'll add it later to the salad.
• In a large mixing bowl place the cooked wheat, burnt and chopped vegetables and all the juices drained from them. Add chopped parsley, crushed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and add salt if necessary. Enjoy!

Notes:

 

• Instead of wheat you can use farro (spelled wheat), freekeh or coarse bulgur. For a gluten-free version, you can use rice, preferably whole rice. Cooking time will vary accordingly.
• Some people prefer to soak the wheat before cooking. Soaking wheat can be from a minimum of an hour to half a day. The cooking time of the wheat will vary accordingly, and can also be 25-30 minutes for wheat that has undergone long soaking.

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Please let me know how it turned out!
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הפוסט Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

This pasta recipe is all about the umami. That fifth flavor that is a bit salty and a bit sour, and mostly is simply umami. There’s no other way to describe it. This recipe combines pasta with mushrooms, sautéed in vegetable oil, along with a miso-based sauce. The miso is mixed with butter, which greatly refines the strong miso flavors. The result is a delicious miso mushroom pasta, simple to make, special, and one that you just can’t stop eating.

Miso is a seasoning paste that comes from Japanese cuisine. It is (mostly) based on soybeans that are fermented together with koji mushrooms. In Japanese cuisine miso is very common and is used for seasoning almost any type of dish. There are many types of miso, but you can roughly divide them into two – the light miso and the dark miso. The light miso (white / yellow) ferments less time than the dark (red), and therefor less salty. In today’s recipe I use dark miso.

How to make this miso mushroom pasta?

The first step is mixing butter with miso. The butter should be soft (but not liquid), so you should take the butter out of the fridge before starting to prepare the recipe. If it is hot outside – a few minutes will do. However, in the winter, take out the butter about half an hour before start. Beat the butter with the miso until a smooth, uniform mixture is obtained. Set aside.

The next step for the miso mushroom pasta is to sauté the mushrooms. I used portabella mushrooms and shimji. You can use any type of mushrooms that are suitable for sautéing, including button mushrooms. Roughly slice the mushrooms. Grease a wide pan with some vegetable oil (neutral in flavors). Than, sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes while stirring. After a few minutes, add about 3 cloves of crushed garlic and continue to cook for another minute, just until you start to smell the garlic. Transfer the mushrooms from the pan to a separate plate.

Cooking the pasta –

Now you can start cooking the pasta. An important pasta rule is that pasta should be transferred immediately after cooking into an already ready sauce. Pasta can’t wait for the sauce, because it almost certainly will leave us with overcooked pasta. In the recipe I use dry pasta. You can use any type of pasta, just pay attention to the cooking time which varies depending on the type of pasta. Cook the pasta one minute less than the cooking time recommended by the manufacturer. That is because the pasta will continue to be cooked in the sauce for another minute.

The last part of preparing the sauce should take only 3-4 minutes. Time to start cooking the pasta accordingly. You can definitely start the next step about 5 minutes before the end of the pasta’s cooking time, and if you have to wait for the pasta to be ready – lower the flame to minimum heat and wait.

Transfer the miso and butter mixture to the same wide pan in which we sautéed the mushrooms. Add one cup of the pasta’s cooking water to the miso mixture. Mix until a smooth, uniform sauce is obtained. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the mushrooms we sautéed and kept aside. Lower the heat and wait until the cooking time of the pasta is over. Add the cooked pasta into the sauce, stir and continue to cook for another minute. Turn off the heat, stir in chopped green onions and serve immediately.

Looking for more great recipes?

• Wild Rice with Red Cabbage
• Lentils and Roasted Beets Salad
• Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms
• Vegan Cherry Crumb Bars

Print Recipe

Miso Mushroom Pasta

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: pasta

serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 250 gr/ 9-oz dry pasta
• 2 tablespoons red miso paste
• 3 tablespoons soft butter (40 gr / 1½-oz), regular or vegan
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (eg canola, grape seeds)
• 400 gr / 13-oz mushrooms , clean and coarsely chopped. use any kind of mushroom suitable for sautéing (button, portabella, shimji, carmine etc.)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 2-3 springs of green onions, chopped
• for cooking the pasta – a pot with plenty of boiling and well-salted water

Instructions:

• Place the miso paste and soft butter in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the miso and butter together until a uniform paste is obtained. Keep aside.
• Heat a wide skillet with vegetable oil. Add the chopped mushrooms, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of black pepper, and sauté while stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and continue sautéing, while stirring, for another minute and no more. Transfer the prepared mushrooms to a separate plate and set aside.
• Cook the pasta in a pot with plenty of boiling and well-salted water (at least one teaspoon of salt). The cooking time depends on the pasta you have chosen to use, but in any case the pasta should be cooked one minute less than the cooking time recommended by the manufacturer. Start preparing the next step 5 minutes before the end of the pasta's cooking time.
• Heat a wide pan, the same pan in which we made the mushrooms. Place in it the miso and butter mixture and add one cup of the pasta's cooking water. Mix well until a uniform mixture is obtained and bring to a boil. Add the sautéed mushrooms that we kept aside and mix. If you have to wait until the pasta is ready – then lower to minimum heat and wait until the pasta is done cooking.
• Strain the cooked pasta and transfer it to the prepared miso and mushrooms sauce. Mix well so that all the pasta is covered in the sauce and continue to cook for another 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add chopped green onions. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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הפוסט Miso Mushroom Pasta הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

A very delicious quinoa salad, with sweet potatoes, carrots and red onions, which are baked in the oven. The quinoa and baked vegetables are wrapped in a wonderful dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and date syrup (silan), which compliments the sweetness from the baked vegetables. This is the kind of salad that holds up well. You can definitely make it in one day and enjoy it 3-4 days later. If you want to turn this salad into a meal on its own – add cooked chickpeas (protein!)

How to make?

Firstly, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots and slice into cubes. Slice the sweet potatoes into cubes of about 0.5-inch/1.5 cm, and the carrots into smaller cubes – about 0.25-inch/1 cm. Peel the red onion and than cut lengthwise into eighths. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet, drizzle over olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the quinoa. There are two main methods for cooking quinoa. The first is similar to cooking rice and the second is similar to cooking pasta. I like to cook quinoa like rice – in a suitable pot heat olive oil. Add the quinoa and salt to the pot, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add water in a ratio of 1: 2. That is, for every cup of quinoa – 2 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. After boiling, lower to a low heat and cook until all the water is absorbed into the quinoa, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for at least another 5 minutes.

The salad dressing has in it olive oil, lemon juice, date syrup (silan), salt and black pepper. I love silan – date syrup. It has the sweetness of dates and deep flavors. However, if you don’t have silan on hand, you can replace it with maple syrup. There is a bit of sweetness in the dressing that compliments very well with the light sweetness of the baked vegetables. I like to make dressings in a jar – put all the ingredients in, place the lid and shake until well combined.

After that, the final step in the quinoa salad is to assemble it. Place all the ingredients in a bowl: cooked quinoa, baked cubes of sweet potatoes and carrots, baked red onion and chopped parsley. Pour over the dressing and mix well. Enjoy!

Here are some more great recipes for salads :

• Green Salad with Charred Broccoli and Avocado
• Farro Salad with Cauliflower, Fennel and Tahini Dressing
• Antipasto Brown Rice Salad
• Winter Green Salad

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Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Salad, Side Dish

serves: 4

Ingredients:

For cooking the quinoa –

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the baked vegetables –

• 1 sweet potato, medium to larg
• 2 carrots
• 1 red onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the dressing –

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon date syrup (silan) or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• pinch of black pepper
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Prepare a pan lined with baking paper or a silicone mat.
• Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 0.5-inch/1.5-2 cm long cubes. Peel and slice the carrots into 0.25-inch/1 cm long cubes. Slice the red onion ​​lengthwise into eighths. Place the chopped vegetables on the baking pan, drizzle over olive oil and season with salt. Mix gently so that all the vegetables are covered in oil and flatten them into one layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are ready and lightly golden.
• At the same time, cook the quinoa. In a small pot, heat olive oil. Add the quinoa and salt, and sauté for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Add 2 cups of water, stir and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then lower to a low heat and cook until all the water is absorbed into the quinoa, about 25 minutes. Leave the quinoa pot covered for at least 5 more minutes after the end of cooking.
• Prepare the dressing – in a jar with a lid, place all the dressing ingredients. Close the jar and shake until a smooth dressing is obtained.
• Place all the salad ingredients in a suitable bowl – cooked quinoa, baked sweet potato and carrot cubes, baked red onion and chopped parsley. Pour over the dressing and mix gently. Enjoy!

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Please let me know how it turned out!
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הפוסט Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

This recipe is one of those recipes that have it all. It’s delicious (that’s the main thing right?), simple, quick to prepare and good for our body – sautéed green beans with mushrooms. The beans in the recipe are frozen, the kind I always keep in my freezer. The mushrooms are sautéed with red onions, garlic and spices. Than adding the green beans, that are cooked shortly in boiling water prior to that. The preparation of the whole recipe takes 10 minutes.

A quick word about cleaning the mushrooms. A well-known rule is that you shouldn’t wash mushrooms in water. Rinsing mushrooms means the mushrooms will absorb water into it and damage their texture. As a rule, most edible mushrooms are grown in a sterile environment and do not need to be cleaned at all before use. But, admit I always clean mushrooms by wiping it with clean paper towel or a very clean kitchen towel. I also pluck the tip of their foot.

How to make sautéed green beans with mushrooms?

Start with the sautéing of the mushrooms. In a wide pan, wide enough to later also contain the beans, heat olive oil. Add finely chopped red onion, a pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté while stirring for 2 minutes. After that, add coarsely chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to sweat. Add chopped garlic, and lots of it, and cook for just one more minute, until you start to smell the garlic.

At the same time, prepare the green beans. In the recipe I use frozen green beans, which have a short cooking time. The green beans are cooked in boiling water with half a teaspoon of salt, for 3 minutes. Start counting the time after the second boil. Then, strain the beans and add it to the mushroom mixture.

Along with the green beans, add to the mushroom mixture soy sauce, sesame oil and lots and lots of black pepper. In my opinion there is no need to add salt beyond what we added, and the soy sauce is salty enough, but taste and check according to your personal taste. If necessary – add of course. If you don’t have sesame oil at home – buy it. Really. It’s a great product. Despite its name, it’s usually not used as an oil but as a spice, and it brings great Asian flavors. A small bottle will last you for loads and loads of time.

Stir the mixture gently for a couple of minutes till evenly covered and that’s it. Already ready. You can eat it hot or cold. See the accurate recipe below.

Here are some more side dish you’ll enjoy:

• Baked Acorn Squash with Harissa and Date Honey
• Cauliflower Rice with Mushrooms
• Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Spiced Chickpeas and Yogurt Dressing
• Wild Rice with Red Cabbage

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Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms

Prep Time2 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time12 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 10 oz / 250 gr frozen green beans
• 7 oz / 200 gr button or cremini mushrooms, clean and coarsely chopped
• 1 small or ½ big red onion, finely chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, for GF please use GF soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil, for GF please use GF sesame oil
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• for cooking the green beans – a pot with boiling water and ½ a teaspoon of salt

Instructions:

• Clean the mushrooms with paper towel or a very clean kitchen towel, and slice them roughly.
• Heat a wide skillet with olive oil. Add finely chopped red onion, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
• Add coarsely chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes while stirring. Add chopped garlic and cook for another minute until you can smell the garlic.
• At the same time, cook the green beans. Place the green beans in a pot filled with boiling water and ½ a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes from the moment of boiling. Strain.
• Transfer the cooked green beans to the pan with the mushroom mixture. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper. Mix carefully until the green beans and mushrooms are evenly coated with the seasoning, and cook for another one minute. Turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy!

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Please let me know how it turned out!
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הפוסט Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

Dreamy and VEGAN shepherd’s pie with green lentils and chestnuts as the base. I replaced the traditional potato puree with sweet potato puree and it’s soooo good. Delicious, comforting and sweet – a real celebration. This recipe has a few steps in it, but trust me – it’s so worthy.

How to make Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

This vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie has 2 layers in it – the lentils layer as the base, and the sweet potato layer on top.

The sweet potato layer:

The first step will be cooking the sweet potatoes. There are lots of ways to cook sweet potatoes. One of my favorite methods is to roast it on a bed of coarse salt. That way, there’s no added liquid to the sweet potatoes, and all the sweet and wonderful flavors are highlighted and concentrated. The method is very simple – after thoroughly washing the sweet potatoes, brush it with some olive oil and poke it with a fork or a knife a few times. Prepare a suitable baking pan, and sprinkle cover it with coarse salt. It should be about 1/4-inch (or 0.5 cm) thick. Place the sweet potatoes on the coarse salt bed. Bake on high heat for about an hour, until very soft.

After the sweet potatoes are cooked, cool and then pill off its skin. The sweet potatoes’ skin should come off pretty easily. Place the cooked and pilled sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash them. Since they are so soft, you can easily mash them using a fork. You can also use a potato masher. To the sweet potato puree add olive oil, finely chopped parsley and season according to the recipe.

The lentils’ base:

While the sweet potatoes are in the oven, you can start making the lentils’ layer that is the base of the shepherds pie. Regarding the lentils – I always soak green (and also black) lentils for at least two hours. Soaking lentils is not mandatory, so it’s absolutely your choice whether to soak it or not. Start by briefly sautéing diced onions and celery. Add raw and finely grated sweet potato, and then the rest of the ingredients as listed in the recipe, like chestnuts, oregano, rosemary and crushed tomatoes. As for the chestnuts, I use ready to use peeled and roasted chestnuts.

Cook the lentil mixture over medium-low heat for about half an hour, with the lid closed . During cooking, the lentils will absorb all the liquids and soften. At the end of cooking, leave the lid on for a few more minutes, before moving on to the next step.

Assembling the dish :

Prepare your 8X12-inch (20X30 cm), or similar size, oven safe baking dish and grease it lightly with olive oil. Place the lentils’ layer at the bottom and smooth it. After that, layer the sweet potato puree over. You can use a fork to smooth down the puree and gently score the top a bit.

Bake the vegan sweet potato shepherd’s pie in the oven for one hour. If you desire to get a golden crush on top (and trust me – you do!), carefully take out the shepherd’s pie from the oven after 50 minutes, drizzle some olive oil on top, and return the dish to the oven for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

Looking for more recipes with sweet potatoes?

• Vegan Adzuki Bean, Kale and Sweet Potato Soup
• Lentils and Kale Stuffed Baked Sweet Potato
• Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Spiced Chickpeas and Yogurt Dressing

Print Recipe

Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

serves: 1 8X12-inch (20X30 cm), or similar size, baking dish

Ingredients:

for the sweet potatoes puree –

• 3 medium size sweet potatoes – about 2.2 pounds/ 1 kg, well washed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

for baking the sweet potatoes –

• 1 pound/ ½ kg coarse salt
• olive oil for brushing the sweet potatoes

for the lentil layer –

• 1 cup green lentils, washed well and drained. although not mandatory – I prefer soaking the lentils for at least 2 hours
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs of celery (1 cup), chopped
• 1 small sweet potato (1 cup), pilled and grated finely
• 3½-oz / 100 gr peeled and roasted chestnuts, coarsely chopped
• 14-oz / 400 gr crushed tomatoes ot tomato puree
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 springs of fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1 sprig rosemary (1 tablespoon), chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

• starting with baking the potatoes – preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Prepare a baking pan lined with baking paper or silicone mat and sprinkle a thick layer of coarse salt on it, which will serve as a base for the sweet potatoes. Brush the sweet potatoes with some olive oil and prick them all over using a fork. Place them on the coarse salt bed, and bake for about an hour, until the sweet potatoes are very soft. Allow to cool.
• While the sweet potatoes are baking, start preparing the lentils' layer. In a wide, deep pan, heat olive oil. Add chopped onions and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add finely grated sweet potatoes and chopped garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients – coarsely chopped chestnuts, crushed tomatoes (or tomato puree), oregano, rosemary, sweet paprika, salt, black pepper and one cup of water. Mix well, cover and bring to a boil. After boiling, lower to medium-low heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, until all the liquid evaporates and the lentils are soft. Leave covered for a few more minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, lightly grease a 8X12-inch (20X30 cm, or similar size) baking dish with a little olive oil.
• Prepare the sweet potato puree – remove the peel from the sweet potatoes, it should peels off quite easily. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a bowl and mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or a potato masher. Add to the mixture 2 tablespoons of olive oil, finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Assembling the dish: place the lentil stew on the bottom of the baking pan and flatten it using a fork or a spoon. Place the sweet potato puree on top of the lentils' layer and flatten it evenly. If desired, you can move a fork over the top layer and create a nice shape. Bake uncovered for an hour. If you want a nice brown crust of the top layer, carefully take the dish out of the oven after 50 minutes of baking, drizzle over some olive oil and return to the oven for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
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הפוסט Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

The weather forecast at the beginning of the week left me no choice but to declare it’s going to be soup week. I am a huge fan of soups, and can eat soups every day, all day. In a week like this I can easily make 4 XL pots of soup. When the weather outside is as stormy as it is now, and the desire to curl up appears, I automatically think what can be brewed into a pot of comforting soup.

This potato and white bean soup sat in my mind for a while. I wanted some kind of a creamy and light shaded soup but with earthy, non-dairy flavors. The best thing about soups is that you can put all kinds of ingredients in one pot and mix them so that you get exactly the balance of flavors you feel like at that moment.

So I thought and imagined it in my head, and perfected it on the stove and it turned out to be one of the best soups I had in a while. Vegan potato and white bean soup, cooked with rosemary, garlic, hot chili flakes and olive oil. I Finished the soup with a little finely chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Amazing how so few ingredients can produce such a depth of flavors.

One extra note about cooking time. The cooking time is mainly determined by the white bean cooking time. The first rule is not to add any salt while cooking the beans – only at the end. The other element is the freshness of the dried beans (how old they are). The older the beans are – the longer it will take for them to soften. The last thing has to be the soaking time. The longer you’ll soak the beans – the faster it’ll be cooked. Therefore, always buy beans from a place you trust, don’t shorten the soaking time, and don’t add salt until the beans are soft.

Looking to be inspire with more delicious soups?

• White corn and miso soup with chili oil
• Green lentil and mushroom soup
• Red lentil and butternut squash soup with spicy coriander pesto

Print Recipe

4 from 1 vote

Vegan Potato and white bean soup

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

beans soaking time8 hours hrs

Total Time1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course: Soup

serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white bean, soaked in water for at least 8 hours – that is 1 cup of dried beans before soaking
• 2 large potatoes or 4 medium potatoes, coarsely sliced into medium-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 spring of rosemary
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced ​​(not chopped nor crushed)
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups water, plus more if needed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

• Soak the beans for at least 8 hours. Make sure to replace the soaking water at least once during this time
• Wash the beans, drain it and place it in a large pot. Add olive oil, rosemary, sliced ​​garlic, hot chili flakes, black pepper and water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat, with the pot partially covered, for 45 minutes until the beans begin to soften. Make sure not to add salt at this time, as salt will delay the softening of the beans. See also notes regarding bean cooking times.
• Add coarsely sliced ​​potatoes to the pot and cook for another 40 minutes, until the beans and potatoes are very soft. If necessary – add more water while cooking.
• Remove the rosemary branch (s), which have shed their leaves. Add salt, stir and cook together for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add finely chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice. Mix well, taste and adjust flavors if necessary. Serve hot of course.

Notes:

• Bean cooking time depends on a number of ingredients and can vary. The fresher the dried beans, that is – the less time spent in the store – the shorter the cooking time. Also, the longer the soaking time of the beans – the shorter the cooking time. In any case, do not add salt while cooking the beans, and this is true for almost all types of legumes, but only at the end.
• Frozen white beans – can be used, although the cooking time will be significantly shortened and with it the flavors that will develop. If you use frozen beans then you should cook it together with the potatoes from the beginning for a time of about 45 minutes. In any case, add salt only at the end of cooking.

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Please let me know how it turned out!
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הפוסט Vegan Potato and White Bean Soup הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.

So after a while that life seems as if we are living one long week that started somewhere around March, the weather here is finally changing and that brings something new to life, some change. I wont lie, COVID19 made the last few months difficult for me, as for the rest of the world obviously, and the feeling is that everything is stuck in place. And here comes the rain, and there is something new to look at and suddenly it seems that time does pass, even if nothing else has really changed.

The weather is changing, new winds are really blowing, and I understand more than ever that I have to break away from everything that is happening outside, and try to imagine and build a private world for myself. And in my private world autumn is coming, and there is excitement from all kinds of citrus fruits and an abundance of green vegetables returning to the markets. And in my private world the most urgent thing to deal with is hot stews and comforting soups and challah on Shabbat and in general lots of happy pots to gather my family around.

The first soup I chose to make is this soup – a thick and satisfying green lentil soup, with the most modest ingredients but also those that prove that you don’t need too much to make your house a home. And as the soup boiled and bubbled, a gorgeous smell spread in my home that reminded me the smell in my late grandma Fanny’s kitchen, and no one was happier than me.

The making of the soup starts with the french holy trinity (mirepoix) – onions, celery and carrots. It has mushrooms and tomatoes in it, that add depth. And just like any good soup, it must be finished with lots of green herbs and this time it’s cilantro. The cooking time here is relatively short, and in the end I really recommend mashing some of the soup, whether with a hand blender or a potato masher, which gives the soup its amazing texture. Now for the recipe:)

Crazy for soups just like me? Here are some more great options:

• White Corn and Miso Soup with Chili Oil
• Coconut Vegetable and Tofu Curry Soup
• Red Lentil and Butternut Squash with Spicy Coriander Pesto

Print Recipe

Green lentil and mushroom soup

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Soup

serves: 5

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups green lentils, washed and drained. It's not a must to soak lentils, but I usually soak them for at least two hours.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, sliced ​​into rings
• 2 celery stalks, chopped – about half a cup
• 250 gr/ ½ pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped – about a cup
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1½ liter/ 6 cups of water or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cilantro – leaves only, chopped

Instructions:

• In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and sauté while stirring until transparent, about 3 minutes.
• Add sliced ​​carrots, chopped celery, chopped mushrooms, chopped garlic and the spices – cumin, turmeric and paprika. Be careful not to add salt at this point but only at the end of cooking (adding salt to legumes delays their cooking and leaves the beans stiff). Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add to the pot the green lentils (well washed and strained of course), chopped tomatoes and water or vegetable stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat without a lid for about 35 minutes, until the lentils and all the vegetables are softened.
• Carefully remove the pot from the heat. Using a hand blender, mash some of the soup to create a thick and delicious texture. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher or mash in a blender about half of the soup. Return the soup to the stoves, add a teaspoon of salt, or more to taste, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in fresh cilantro, chopped, and serve.

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out!
comment below or share it on instagram and tag #thehappylentils

הפוסט Green Lentil and Mushroom Soup הופיע לראשונה ב- The Happy Lentils.